You Can Design Your Own Polo with Ralph Lauren’s Made-to-Order Program

Earlier last month preppy clothing giant Ralph Lauren announced it would be launching a made-to-order program for its iconic polo shirts. Custom designs aren’t exactly a novelty in the world of fashion. Even in modern design, we’ve seen brands like Nike, Gucci, and others allow customers to make personal adjustments to shirts, sneakers, hoodies, and more. In fact, Ralph Lauren already has a custom shop where folks can add graphics and embroidering to sweaters, cardigans, hats, pillows, and more. But, the made-to-order polo program pushes that customization further. Customers can choose from six bases, 24 colors, 10 different shades of logos, and the option to add embroidery to both cuffs. While made-to-order clothing puts the customers in the shoes of designers, it also allows companies like Ralph Lauren to minimize waste, reenvisioning a design future where backstock isn’t sitting on shelves for years and years. Plus, Ralph Lauren will be able to track the designs customers gravitate toward for future releases. While this isn’t a watershed moment for the design industry, it does demonstrate that even the like of Ralph Lauren are willing to break from tradition in an effort to streamline the design process.